Article December 26, 1994 Issue

Is perfection a choice?

Mark Swinney

MAN derives his identity from his creator, God, who is wholly divine Spirit. A creator creates only in a medium that he knows. Divine Spirit—actually the sole creator—knows only spiritual substance. Therefore, instead of being a material creation, or even a combination of spirituality and physicality, the true identity of man is wholly spiritual, reflecting the nature of his creator.

And not only is man spiritual, reflecting his creator; man is perfect, reflecting his creator. Man's entire relation to God is one of perfection. God is divine—divine Mind, Principle, Soul, Spirit. All of these are names for one perfect God. Because He is divine Principle, God is unchangeable and flawless. In fact, God is never less than at the point of faultlessness.

The Bible says of God: "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men" (John 1:3, 4). The life that is "the light of men" could be said to be man's spiritual, perfect, Christly identity.